ARC Review - The House That Love Built

The House that Love Built
By Beth Wiseman
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pub. Date: April 2, 2013
ISBN: 978-1595548894
ASIN: B00A0VPB1W
Pages: 352
Buy Link: http://ow.ly/jA4tU
Blog Tour Link: http://litfusegroup.com/author/bwiseman

Review:

I have read several Amish titles by Beth Wiseman, so I became intrigued when I learned about her newest book had a contemporary setting. I eagerly signed up to review The House that Love Built, which I received free of charge from Litfuse Publicity Group and Thomas Nelson in exchange for my honest review.

Brooke Holloway has been raising her two children, ten-year-old Spencer and six-year-old Meghan, by herself in Smithville, Texas ever since her husband, Travis, died two years ago. Life has been tough for her and the kids. Her mother briefly moved in to help out after Travis's death, but now she lives at the Oaks Retirement Villa. Despite her mother's advice to start dating, Brooke doesn't want to fall in love as Travis was the love of her life.

After Owen Saunder's bitter divorce, he buys the old Hadley mansion and plans on restoring it, which was his cheating wife's dream and out of spite, it is now his dream. There is a rumor of a hidden bunker somewhere in the house or on the property and the mystery intrigues him. Falling in love was the last thing on his mind that is until he meets Brooke Holloway.

Review - Not Quite Dating

Not Quite Dating
By Catherine Bybee
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Pub. Date: November 13, 2012
ISBN: 978-1612187143
ASIN: B008J2IS0K
Pages: 258

Review: 

Typically, I like my romance reads to be either historical or paranormal, but after I saw that the story was set at Christmastime, I thought I would give it a chance, so I signed up to review Not Quite Dating courtesy of Bewitching Book Tours and Montlake Romance in exchange for my honest review.

Jessie Mann grew up not having much. She works the midnight shift as a waitress, struggling to make a living as she is caring for her son and her younger sister. Her family is the most important thing in her life and she has no time to dwell on a man. That is until Jack Morrison steps into the diner and into her life.

Jack is more than financially stable as he is the heir to the Morrison luxury hotel empire. You would think someone with his money, charms, and good looks would find it easy to find a woman, but he is tired of women wanting him just for his money. Late one night, along with his buddies, Jack goes into the diner and runs into Jessie, whom he is instantly attracted to. Now all that Jessie sees is another Texas with big dreams and she is instantly not attracted to him.

Despite being slightly rejected, Jack befriends Jessie and her family, but he doesn't tell her that his is wealthy. To find out, Jessie really does want to find love, but all the men she meets are never her type. Jack takes it upon himself to help Jessie with her money woes and he eventually plays matchmaker in the hope of finding her the perfect man. But the more time he spends with her, the more he loves everything about her.

Review - The Trouble with Cowboys

The Trouble with Cowboys
By Denise Hunter
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
ISBN: 978-1595548030
Pub. Date: October 2, 2012
Pages 289
Blog Tour Link: http://litfusegroup.com/campaigns/the-trouble-with-cowboys-by-denise-hunter-facebook-party-and-blog-tour
Buy Link: http://ow.ly/dSvBa

Review:

The third and final installment of the Big Sky Romance series focuses on the Wilkerson sisters, Annie and Sierra. Annie is a successful columnist writing for Montana Living and she is also a horse trainer for Moose Creek. Their father left them when they were just kids, their mother died later on as well as their grandfather. Annie has spent most of her young life taking care for Sierra. When her sister became pregnant at age sixteen, Annie became more like a mother instead of a sister. Sierra kept the baby boy, completed her GED, and is now attending college. Annie is having financial problems as she tries to pay for Sierra's college tuition.

Annie dislikes cowboys, even though she lives in Montana where she can't throw a rock out a window without hitting a cowboy. Her father was a cowboy and so were the countless loser boyfriends that her late mother had. She doesn't trust cowboys!

Review - Wish You Were Here

 Wish You Were Here

AUTHOR: Beth K. Vogt

PUBLISHED BY: Howard Books

ISBN: 978-1-4516-5986-3

RELEASED DATE: 2012

PAGES: 328

    You would think Allison Denman would be happy on her wedding day, but she isn’t, she even hates the wedding dress she has on. Just five days before the wedding she had kissed her soon-to-be brother-in-law, Daniel. And before her wedding day could start, she leaves her no-to-be groom waiting at the alter. Kissing David had been her wake up call. She always wanted to be married, but not to be married just for the sake of it.

    Allison is a Christian and she wants to be true to her faith. She believes God has a plan for her and it may just be out of her normal comfort zone.

Review & Giveaway - My Stubborn Heart

My Stubborn Heart
BY: Becky Wade
PUBLISHED BY: Bethany House
PUBLISHED IN: 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0974-1
PAGES: 350

Kate Donovan, a thirty-one-year-old redhead, needed a break from her job and all of her bad relationships, so she volunteered to take her seventy-six-year-old grandma, who she calls Gran, to Redbud, Pennsylvania, where she is going to help Gran restore their family home - Chapel Bluff. The old grand house is outdated and needs tons of work. Now, Kate has her hands full, and I’m not referring to the renovation, as Gran has plans to play matchmaker with the handyman Matt Jarreau. Normally, you would think a grandchild would be upset for their grandmother to play matchmaker for them, but after one look at Matt, Kate plans on doing anything to get his attention.

    Matt Jarreau was once a successful hockey player, but after his wife’s passing he has returned to his home town, working as a handyman. The first few days working at the Chapel Bluff, he rejected all Kate’s advances. Slowly, and after a few blind dates set up by Gran, he starts to see Kate as a romantic interest, but his heart still aches for late wife.

Review - Shadow in Serenity

Shadow in Serenity
BY: Terri Blackstock
PUBLISHED BY: Zondervan
PUBLISHED IN: 2011
ISBN: 978-0-310-33231-2
Pages: 352
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

I was given a few books by Terri Blackstock a while back by a friend, but I have never had a chance to read them. When I received a request to review the Christian book, Shadow in Serenity, I instantly recognized the author’s name. I eagerly accepted to read it. The book tossed no to my nightstand, with a few others, and with the holiday madness, the book had slipped my mind. After a night of tossing and turning, I flipped on the nightstand light and grabbed Shadow in Serenity. Instantly, I was hooked after reading the first chapter - the  introduction of Logan Brisco, a stylish con artist with a rocky past. Abandoned by his mother, Logan lived in foster homes until meeting a local con artist who took Logan under his wing. After a stint behind bars and a name change, Logan lands in Serenity Texas with the greatest swindle of all.

One by one, Logan is convincing the citizens of Serenity to invest in his great idea - building a theme park in the county. Everyone is hypnotized by his charming self and smooth talking, except for one woman named Carny Sullivan. She has seen her share of liars and cheats in her life, and now she has spotted one more - Logan. With all her power, she is determined to protect her son, family, and friends by exposing Logan’s lies.

Shadow in Serenity is a character driven drama with some romance thrown in it. Despite Logan being a con artist, I could not help feeling sorry for him as I learned more about his past. The heroine, Carny, is smart, strong character who knows when she is being lied to. There are a few dry moments here and there, but the interesting characters, snappy dialogue, and believable plot make up for it. I enjoyed my first read from Terri Blackstock and I look forward to reading more of her books.

About the Author:

Terri Blackstock has sold over six million books worldwide and is a New York Times bestseller. She is the award-winning author of Intervention, Vicious Cycle, and Predator, as well as such series as Cape Refuge, Newpointe 911, the Sun Coast Chronicles, and the Restoration Series. Visit her website at www.terriblackstock.com.

"The Keeper" Review and Giveaway!

The Keeper

BY: Suzanne Woods Fisher

PUBLISHED BY: Revell

PUBLISHED IN: 2012

ISBN: 978-0-8007-1987-6

Pages: 320
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

         In the first book of the Stoney Ridge Seasons series,  Julia Lapp and her siblings, Menno, Sadie, and Mary Kate (M.K.) are running their family farm because their father, Amos, has a bad heart and can no longer do day to day chores on the farm. Amos is an old school Amish and doesn’t want to have a heart transplant, even though it could save his life.

 Julia has other things on her mind, like marrying Paul Fisher. She has dreamed of being his wife since she was a child, but her wedding plans are constantly being delayed by Paul’s overprotected mother, Edith, who will do anything to stop the wedding.

Running a farm can be difficult, so the Lapp family has their Uncle Hank to help them with the farm. Fern Graber arrives at the farm as a caregiver for Amos. Soon enough the Bee Man arrives. The Bee Man, travels through the Amish communities with his hives of bees and then rents them out to farmers.

Will Julia marry Paul?

Will Amos changes his ways and have a heart transplant?

“The Keeper” is slightly different than the typical Amish fiction, adding witty characters and realism that any reader can connect with. Life is full of twists and turns that challenges your faith as the main character Julia findsout. There is heartache, laughter and wonderful storytelling to be found in “The Keeper”. I recommend the book to all readers.

*I would like to thank the Baker Publishing Company for sending me a copy to review!

About the author:

Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, W.D. Benedict, who was raised Plain. She has many, many Plain relatives living in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and travels back to Pennsylvania, as well as to Ohio, a couple of times each year for research. Suzanne has a great admiration for the Plain people and believes they provide wonderful examples to the world. In both her fiction and non-fiction books, she has an underlying theme: You don't have to "go Amish" to incorporate many of their principles--simplicity, living with less, appreciating nature, forgiving others more readily-- into your life. When Suzanne isn't writing or bragging to her friends about her first new grandbaby (!), she is raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To Suzanne's way of thinking, you just can't take life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone's underwear in its mouth. 


 Suzanne can be found on-line at: www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.

It’s a “Honey of a Giveaway” from Suzanne Woods Fisher! Suzanne is hosting a "honey of a giveaway"during the blog tour for The Keeper! During 1/3-1/17 you can enter to win an iPad2 from Suzanne and connect with her on January 17th at The Keeper Facebook Party!

During the giveaway one Grand Prize winner will receive a Prize Pack valued at $600:

• A brand new 16 KB iPad 2 with Wi-Fi
• A $25 gift certificate to iTunes
• A copy of The Keeper

But wait there's more! Just click one of the icons below to enter, then on 1/17 join Suzanne for The Keeper Facebook Party! During the party Suzanne will announce the winner of the "Honey" of an iPad Giveaway and host a fun book chat and give away some fun "honey" inspired prizes - It'll be 'sweet"!

RSVP early and tell your friends!

ARC Review: Once Upon a Groom

Once Upon a Groom
BY: Karen Rose Smith
PUBLISHED BY: Harlequin
PUBLISHED IN: 2011
ISBN: 978-0-373-65628-8
Pages: 224
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

  Zack Decker left his family ranch and his first love, Jenny, to go to film school. It’s now fifteen years later, and Zack is a successful Hollywood director determined to never go back to Miners Bluff. Out of the blue, Jenny Farber leaves a message informing him to attend their high school reunion. The reunion doesn’t go as plan as Jenny’s real intentions was to get Zack to talk to his father, Sila. Zack flies back to L.A., only to get another message from Jenny. This time she tells him that his father has collapsed.

There has been undeniable tension between Zack and his father over the years, but Zack returns to the ranch, the Rocky D, where Jenny works. Actually Jenny is more like a daughter to Sila than anything else. She persuades Zack to stay and help run the ranch until Sila is back on his feet, in which Zack agrees. Soon, their past feelings resurface, along with a secret Jenny has been hiding for fifteen years.

Once Upon a Groom is book two in the Reunion Bride series and is an irresistible read from the very first page. The love story between Zack and Jenny is realistically written. As a reader, you’ll easily connect with both characters as they must confront their past emotions. I recommend Once Upon a Groom to all romance readers.


*I would like to thank the author for sending me a copy to review. 

Book Review - Another Dawn

Another Dawn

BY: Kathryn Cushman

PUBLISHED BY: Bethany House

PUBLISHED IN: 2011

ISBN: 978-0-7642-0825-6

Pages: 316

Reviewed by Billy Burgess

Grace Graham, along with her son, Dylan, returns home to Shoal Creek, Tennessee to confront her past, and help her outspoken father after his knee replacement surgery. Grace had somewhat of a falling out with her sister, Jana, after her mother’s death years before. Both want to reconcile. Dylan takes an instant liking to his cousins, especially little Hannah Rose. Grace is planning on returning to California, but Dylan gets a rash and a fever. When he doesn’t get well, she takes him to the doctor, who says he will be fine in a few days. A few days go by, and Dylan is worse. The doctor doesn’t know what exactly is wrong with him, but, suddenly, Grace has an idea what it could be. Dylan has never had his measles shots, and he has exposed the virus to others, including his baby cousin, Hannah Rose.

I’ve read several contemporary Christian novels, and normally the books are romance, so that is what I was thinking when I started reading Another Dawn. I soon realized that this isn’t a romance novel, but a story about redemption and the love between a mother and her son. The book felt intense at times, due to the realization of the plot. It’s scary to think of young parents neglecting to get their children the vaccination shots, but it happens everyday. This is great read and I couldn’t put it down until I had finished it. I recommend this book to everyone.

*I would like thank Bethany House for sending me a copy to review.

Book Review - Never Say Never

Never Say Never

BY: Lisa Wingate

PUBLISHED BY: Bethany House

PUBLISHED IN: 2010

ISBN: 978-0-7642-0492-0

Pages: 348

Ages: Adults

Reviewed by Billy Burgess

“Never Say Never” is the third book in the “Daily, Texas” series. Sixty-nine year-old Donetta Bradford and her friends are excited about going on a cruise. Their plans change when a hurricane hits Texas.

Twenty-seven-year-old Kai Miller, with her neighbor’s dogs, climbs into a van heads away from the incoming hurricane. The traffic is crazy and she doesn’t get very far. The hurricane strikes leaving destruction.

Donetta and friends have to cancel their trip and return to their homes in Daily, Texas. She takes in Kai Miller, who has no place to go until the floods go down. Kai has no attention in staying in this small town for long, until she meets Donetta’s nephew, Kemp Eldridge.

I’ve never read any of the other books in the series. “Never Say Never” seems to be a standalone book. I don’t read much contemporary fiction, but I was instantly hooked by the first chapter. I love that the author switches narratives with every other chapter, it kept me turning the pages. I ended up reading the book in one day. This is an irresistible, clean-cut romance novel that you’ll have to read.

Note: I would like to thank Bethany House for sending me this complimentary copy of this book to review.